Kamov Ka-226 Gets American Engine With Venerable British Name

Rolls-Royce Corporation makes aero-engines, including the popularity champ of the light-helicopter turbine world, the Rolls-Royce 250. This product of the former Allison Division of GM (which was acquired by Rolls ten years ago) just added a new airframe to its long, long list: the Kamov Ka-226.

Famous for making a wide variety of helicopters with counterrotating coaxial blades, the Kamov design bureau -- now the Kamov Holding Company -- built over six hundred of the Ka-226's forerunner, the Ka-26, which was powered by twin M-14 radials. An interim, single-turbine design using a 720-shp Russian engine, the Ka-126, didn't catch on, and the Ka-226 is powered by twin RR 250s. These engines produce 450 shp each.

The Ka-x26 series has an unusual feature -- it is a pod-and-boom design resembling a baby S-64 Skycrane, but usually a passenger or cargo pod is fitted. This pod looks like an organic part of the helicopter but is removable, so that operators could have extra pods for special purposes, or operate the aircraft without the pod if need be.

Under the terms of the deal agreed at the recent Moscow MAKS show, the Indiana engine factory will supply 50 engines to Kamov, which will probably produce the helicopters in Kumertau, Bashkiria. (Kamov also has facilities in Ukraine).

Before striking the agreement with Kamov, Rolls-Royce Corporation already powered half of the light single and twin turbine helicopters in the world. The versatile 250 is found in the Agusta 109, Bell 206, 407, and OH-58, Eurocopter BO105 and AS355, Enstrom 480, MDHI (formerly Hughes) 500, Schweizer 333, Sikorsky S-76 (except S-76D), and more.

There are also turboprop as well as turboshaft variants. The engines have been installed in Bonanzas, T-34s, and Cessna 210s by STC, and Rolls proudly notes that someone with the need for speed shoehorned one into a Glasair III.

The exact dash-version that Kamov has ordered was not mentioned in the press release, but previous Ka-226s have been powered by Rolls-Royce 250-C20R engines, and Rolls-Royce's engine applications chart [pdf] also lists the Ka-226 as taking the -C20R. The engine illustrations in this story are of that specific dash version.

FMI: www.rolls-royce.com/northamerica, www.kamov.ru